Aut.
Ed.
Parigi, 11 novembre 1834
Parigi Bains Chinois 11: Nov:e
Mio caro Florimo. – È un secolo che non mi scrivi, vedo però che la sospensione d’animo ove ti mette la decisione che s’attende del mio lungo trattare con
Il tuo affsmo
Bellini
Deux Siciles
Monsieur François Florimo
à Naples
345
36.
Paris, 11 November 1834
Vincenzo Bellini to Francesco Florimo. Letter.
Aut. I-Nc, Rari 4.3.6 (40). Two bifolia, eight sides plus address on the verso of the second bifolio.
Ed. Florimo 1882, pp. 455-459 (partial transcription); Cambi 1943, pp. 467-471; Neri 2005, pp. 342-345.
Paris Bains Chinois 11 November
My dear Florimo. - I haven't had a letter from you in ages, but I realize it's because you're waiting in a state of suspended animation to learn the outcome of my lengthy negotiations with Naples. Today or tomorrow I should be getting a response with their decision. Meanwhile Lablache brought yet another difficulty to my attention, which is that this Society has no name other than "Anonimo", so whom do I address to ensure that the terms of my contract are maintained in the event of their liquidation? Why is it I'm told that Malibran has had a banker guarantee her payment, but you've never kept me informed about such things? Principe d'Ottajano and Cav. Capecelatro sign the contracts not with their own names but that of the Society. Does everything simply disappear if this no-name Society runs out of money, possibly leaving me stranded when I'll have already declined work from other theatres? Oh, what a mess! Tell me this is nothing to worry about, since I can no longer decline nor renegotiate the contract if they've agreed to the demands I made in my last letter. - Now listen to this plot that was hatched by my fine Neapolitan friends, fellow countrymen and Italians one and all — because you have to go to Italy to find such ignominy! Heaven help us! Yesterday Giulietta Grisi received a letter from Naples signed "Conte del Sacco", which reads more or less as follows: "My Signora! I enclose an article from L'omnibus copied word for word from a letter written by maestro Bellini to the journalist, a letter which I and many of my friends have read" etc. etc. You'll already have heard about the ferocious article Torelli wrote attacking Grisi and the direction of the Théâtre Italien in defense of Malibran etc. etc. Poor Grisi was dumbfounded when she received that letter, but she's a benevolent soul and didn't want to believe any of it, thinking that if I had written that letter it must have been misinterpreted, etc. etc. Lablache himself said it was incredible. Costa came to me and told me everything. I have the deepest affection for Grisi, who is both an extremely good-hearted creature and such a knowledgeable and extraordinarily talented young woman. The mere fact that she alone dominated the stages of London and Paris, where she was hailed with endless and immense applause, should be more than enough to convince those who are envious of her position. So I went immediately to see Severini, who happened to be with Rossini and Lablache, and I told them it was only too easy to prove the letter was a total fabrication perpetrated just before the premiere of my opera in order to sow confusion in the hearts and minds of the administration as well as Rossini and Grisi, etc. The article, as you know, is a report of Grisi's performance in La gazza ladra; but as I told them, I was in the countryside at the time and didn't write a single line to anyone about that opera, adding that I've not written to Torelli at all even though he's my friend, and that I could never have spoken to Florimo about La gazza ladra because I haven't seen any of the performances this year, so that letter came from some unknown person for the sole purpose of doing me harm etc. etc. Lablache told me he'll write to Torelli telling him what he needs to do to clarify exactly who or what newspaper was behind that article, because for me to be cleared of any blame it's not enough for him to say "Bellini never wrote me", which would be all too easy a response even if it were the contrary. He has to identify the source, and since he respects me and greatly values my friendship, I haven't the slightest doubt he'll want to clear things up and expose the vile and despicable malevolence of our beloved compatriots! Ha ha, I'm still laughing with pity!!! You see how my stupid invidious enemies continue to wage war against me with anonymous letters, just as they've been doing at this point for more than four years, ever since I was in Venice, you'll remember, writing Capuleti. - I'll always be able to quash such slander when it reaches me here — but if it doesn't? If it were to encounter not some generous soul but rather those who wish me ill and have little ability to understand the situation, must I be harrassed with the many disclaimers I'd be forced to make? So go see Torelli right away and tell him to do me this favor. He owes it to our long-standing friendship to set things straight and to mention it in his newspaper, so that all [honest] artists are aware of how such scoundrels can play them for fools, be it someone who calls himself a benefactor, or some composer or other, or a prima donna etc., and tell him that whoever was behind that article has misled him or else he's deceiving himself. Grisi sings and performs La gazza ladra like an angel; I wrote that to you last year, and I remember observing how I'd never seen and enjoyed the part of Ninetta so much. You should also advise him to stop indulging in comparisons and previsions. Grisi is the one woman capable of dominating this stage, as I said before, and without truly great ability this is not possible. The theatre has extraordinary men, but you know full well that without women there can be neither profits nor progeny, and the same is true for Paris. Theatre audiences want both women and men, and when one or the other is missing there's no money to be made. So tell him that he's been deceived, that Grisi has inspired even more fanaticism than last year and that La gazza played five consecutive times to a full house — and that from now on he should take a closer look at things before publishing articles and avoid making comparisons, adding that astrologists often die before ever seeing their predictions come to pass. - Amen - He should read the French newspapers like Les Débats, La Quotidienne, Le Temps, Le Costitutionnel, La Gazette, Le National, etc. etc., in other words the most reputable ones, to determine whether the Théâtre Italien is actually in the position he was given to believe. My dear Florimo, spare no effort to see that the agency and Grisi are thoroughly reassured of the spontaneous sincerity of my conduct: they've both demonstrated too much loyalty for me to neglect any possible means of doing the same toward them. I'm not telling you to seek revenge or become angry on my behalf: you've already understood the nature of our enemy from their behavior, cowardly scum that they are, so continue to treat the thing with indifference, meanwhile convincing Torelli of everything he owes me in this troublesome affair. Lablache will write to him, and I'm certain Torelli will respond without a moment's hesitation since he's been compromised by this as well, because [Grisi's] letter says that the letter I supposedly sent to the journalist was read by many. Enough. - I'm curious to know how things stand, if this Conte del Sacco really exists in Naples. My work continues to move along, and everything should be finished in a few days. - I've no other news for now. - I'm waiting for the Society's latest response but I hope they don't accept what I proposed, because I find it painful to think of returning to a country where some people lack any moral standards whatsoever, compromising others at every turn with the lowest sort of slander. I hope you'll forgive me for wanting this, but think about how much damage my fellow countrymen have done to me and tell me I don't have some measure of justification. Farewell, my dear Florimo - I'm enclosing an article on La sonnambula. - Send what you've previously received from me and this news along to my family, to whom I'll write separately. - Farewell - I await your letters with every passing day -
Yours most fondly
Bellini
Deux Siciles
Monsieru François Florimo
à Naples